Monday, February 8, 2016

Blueberry Cheesecake Pancake Sandwiches

We love breakfast for dinner at our house. In fact, I grew up eating breakfast for dinner whether it was pancakes and eggs, waffles and sausage or an egg casserole, it was common for us to have it at least once a month.

Hey, it's easy!

And it's practically like eating dessert for a meal in my opinion so of course I'm on board. For those of you that haven't tried it and are strictly a 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. breakfast person, you need to step out of the box. It's fun!

The wonderful breakfast company Krusteaz recently contacted me to help spark a 'breakfast for dinner' movement. Did you know tomorrow February 9, is National Pancake Day? There is a day for everything, but this is clearly one of my favorites.

I am making pancakes at least once a week - usually on Saturdays when we are not rushing out the door to school. Sometimes they are plain, sometimes we throw in blueberries, often I'll make my popular apple cinnamon version. They are always different, but always devoured.

Krusteaz sent me a gracious {HUGE!} box of breakfast materials. Check out the photo here on my Instagram page.

As usual, I got a little creative with this recipe. I didn't want to do just any old pancake {although their mixes are really number #1 in my book}. Plain jane ones do steal the show.

My kids love fruit, love cheesecake and of course love pancakes, so I decided to put it all together in a sandwich. Oh my...best idea yet for 2016. These were incredible!

I taste tested this filling before making the sandwiches like any good cook would do. I may have taken a graham cracker and had myself a little appetizer before breakfast for dinner that night. You could really use this filling in a multitude of things.

With Valentine's Day nearing I risked my life and climbed up on top of the counters, above the fridge and grabbed my 100 set of cookie cutters {I really need to put these in a more convenient place} and grabbed a big heart.

I figured hearts would be more fun than boring circles! So I put the oldest to work on cutting out my pancake hearts {he'll do anything for a pancake} and put my middle child to work setting the table. I did scramble some eggs to make this a rounded out breakfast for dinner if you are wondering...I can't let them get away with just dessert for dinner!

Isn't this blueberry cheesecake filling pretty?

I had to share this photo so you could see just how fun it is. The next day we did eat the leftovers as open faced sandwiches, just like this one below. That was fun too.

I really cannot say enough about Krusteaz. Not just because they are wonderful to work with, but the quality of their mixes are fantastic.

One day after receiving my package I woke up with the 20 month old at 6 am and realized suddenly that my preschooler had snacks that day and of course I had forgotten. Ugh. So scrambling to the kitchen I stood blindly in front of the pantry cupboard trying to think of what I could make or throw together quickly.

Krusteaz's Chocolate Chunk Muffin mix was STARING back at me. I grabbed both boxes, turned them over to glance at the directions and noticed that there were alternative directions to make it into two loaf pans instead of muffins. I quickly threw the batter together, poured it into two loaf pans and put them in the oven. An hour and a half later I was walking into her school with warm chocolate chunk bread in my hands and the teachers were drooling.

These mixes are ideal to have on hand in situations of mother-forgetfulness.

Does this photo convince you that my kids loved this breakfast for dinner? It was a huge hit. If I can tell you one thing as a food blogger, it's this - make dinners simple, yet special.

Kids will never remember the fancy meals with three different side dishes, but they will remember helping in the kitchen and doing something "different from the norm". Breakfast for dinner is a great place to start. Throw it in your dinner rotation and watch the cherubs flock to the table!

Do you want to win a Krusteaz breakfast pack to jump start your Breakfast for Dinner traditions? Be sure to print off my pancake recipe FIRST and then enter the giveaway below! One winner will be shipped the same exact box of supplies I received {listed above}. Trust me, you will want your pantry stocked with these mixes. Good luck!